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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28963533">don't take this the wrong way</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/polyproticamory/pseuds/polyproticamory'>polyproticamory</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Tales of Vesperia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Getting Together, Multi, Other, Polyamory, Polyamory Negotiations, Threesome - F/M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 06:47:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,550</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28963533</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/polyproticamory/pseuds/polyproticamory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>‘Yuri watched them from the bar over the rim of his beer glass. He nudged Raven and jerked his head in the direction of Flynn and Judy. “When did that happen?” he asked, his voice light. He smiled when he saw Judy giggle, hiding her grin behind a hand while Flynn blushed, looking pleased with himself.’</p><p>Or, Judy and Flynn want to know what Yuri thinks about their relationship.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Judith/Flynn Scifo, Judith/Yuri Lowell, Judith/Yuri Lowell/Flynn Scifo, Yuri Lowell/Flynn Scifo</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. honey, there is no right way</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Work title and chapter title(s) from Hozier's "Someone New" because I feel like it speaks to my poly soul. </p><p>Also, I need to confess: I haven't finished the game yet, though I am in Act III now and drawing it out for as long as I can because damn this game is good.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Flynn was in Dahngrest for negotiations with the Union—something about recent settlements on Tolbyccia—but he had the night off from guarding Ioder. He left his armor and weapons behind in the guest room at Brave Vesperia’s headquarters, and his pale blue, casual tunic was open a little at the neck where Judy had placed an ungloved hand. She sat on Flynn’s knee and caressed the golden skin between his collarbones, looking down at him with gleaming eyes. </p><p>Yuri watched them from the bar over the rim of his beer glass. He nudged Raven and jerked his head in the direction of Flynn and Judy. “When did that happen?” he asked, his voice light. He smiled when he saw Judy giggle, hiding her grin behind a hand while Flynn blushed, looking pleased with himself. </p><p>Raven looked over his shoulder and huffed a laugh. “Musta been around the time you were missin’,” he said, looking at Yuri out of the corner of his eye. “Flynn asked if he could join Judy on some of her flights lookin’ for you, and Judy sometimes tagged along with his brigade. You hear ‘em tell it, though, they haven’t made it past what ya see here. Flirting and PDA.”</p><p>“Well, what the hell are they waiting for?” Yuri asked. As he watched his best friend since childhood lean his head on Judy’s shoulder, and the Krityan fighter reach up to push his fringe out of his eyes, Yuri felt a sense of <em> rightness </em> to the picture. They looked good together, and Yuri was surprised that he didn’t key into their compatibility earlier. </p><p>Granted, <em> earlier </em> they were all running around trying to save the world, so there wasn’t really an opportunity. </p><p>Yuri turned to see Raven staring at him with an eyebrow raised, and Yuri felt his stomach flip. “What?” he asked, frowning. </p><p>Raven shook his head. “Nah, nothin’. Just that I can never read Judy, and Flynn’s even harder for me ta understand.”</p><p>Yuri laughed. “I’ve known him all my life and, <em> same</em>. Mysterious bastard.” He raised his glass to Raven who clinked his stein in a salute. The old captain then drained his glass and slid from his barstool.</p><p>“Well, it’s time for me ta call it a night, I think.”</p><p>“Past your bedtime, old man?”</p><p>A woman on Raven’s other side set her glass down and slipped an arm around his waist. Raven tossed some gald on the counter and wrapped an arm around the woman’s shoulders in the same, slick move. He winked. “Bedtime’s just gettin’ started.” The woman giggled and walked out with Raven, the two of them chuckling low and intimate. </p><p>Yuri laughed to himself and shook his head. He finished his beer, asked for a glass of water, and closed out his tab. It was no fun drinking alone. </p><p>Yuri looked around the tavern. The stairs that led to the upper level were closed off, and the rafters under the platform were shadowed and cobwebbed. The rest of the room, however, was filled with steady, warm lantern light, and Judy and Flynn at their small table, sharing a seat and some drinks, kept drawing Yuri’s attention. They were like central figures in a painting, the light glancing off Flynn’s golden hair in a halo. </p><p>And wasn’t <em> that </em> perfect imagery. Saint Flynn, doing good works and being a wonder to the world. Yuri shook his head, realizing the potential bitterness to his thoughts. He <em> wasn’t </em> bitter, but it was hard to disentangle his friend from the shining image he presented, the epitome of knightly chivalry. Even as close as he was to Judy, he kept his eyes locked into hers, his hand absently stroking the exposed skin of her waist. That same hand tapped her twice and she stood, letting Flynn get out of his seat and take their empty cups. He said something in Judy’s ear then stepped away, walking towards the bar. </p><p>When he met Yuri’s eye, he grinned and raised his empty glasses. Yuri raised his glass of water in return, saying, “Having fun, commandant?” when Flynn approached. </p><p>Flynn’s cheeks turned pinker and he stood next to Yuri. “Getting there, I think.” He looked at Yuri over his shoulder as he placed the glasses on the counter. “We might do one more round then call it a night. Are you doing okay?” he asked, nodding at Yuri’s water. </p><p>“I’m good,” Yuri said. “Probably gonna head out soon. I won’t wait up,” he added with a wink, laughing when Flynn turned redder. </p><p>“It’s not—<em>we’re </em> not—”</p><p>“And <em>why </em> not?” Yuri nudged Flynn with an elbow. He jerked his head towards Judy, who was playing with the coaster on the table, waving men away with a bored flick of her hand, like they were flies. “Come on. You like her. She likes you. What more do you need, an embossed invitation?”</p><p>Flynn sighed. “We haven’t...discussed that.”</p><p>“What, like at all?”</p><p>“No, I mean…” Flynn shook his head. “I’m saying this all wrong.”</p><p>“So,” Yuri said, drawing out the word, “you <em> have </em> talked about sex. Specifically about <em> having it</em>.”</p><p>“Yuri!”</p><p>“Flynn!” Yuri grinned and leaned in close to speak directly in his friend’s ear. “You have a beautiful woman who’s clearly eager to be with you, and the night <em> off</em>. For once, loosen up and let yourself <em> enjoy </em> life.”</p><p>“I <em> do </em> enjoy life, Yuri. I just—” Flynn cut off to order two more beers from the bartender who appeared to clear away the empties, then turned to Yuri. He was so close that their noses almost touched, and at the edges of his periphery Yuri could see Judith’s purple eyes almost glowing from across the room as she looked at them, a smile on her face. </p><p>Flynn licked his lips, suddenly tense. Nervous. Yuri backed away, feeling lightheaded though he had been sipping his water slowly, sobering up. He tried not to look at Flynn’s mouth, or feel the warmth that radiated from his skin. “Just, enjoy it a little more, then,” Yuri said, downing the last of his water. </p><p>“And you?” Flynn asked, leaning against the bar. “Are you...enjoying life?”</p><p>There was an undercurrent of earnestness in his voice that let Yuri think there was no innuendo to his question. Ever since Zaude, Flynn had developed the habit of asking about Yuri’s wellbeing, if he was <em> really </em> alright, and if Yuri didn’t feel sometimes like he <em> wanted </em> people to ask, it probably would have been extremely annoying. Now, in the din of the tavern still raucous with activity, the night still young, Yuri smirked, shrugged his shoulders. “Of course I am. Every day that I’m alive.”</p><p>*</p><p>Flynn brought drinks over to where Judy was sitting, and the two of them watched as Yuri slipped out the door, his dark hair fluttering behind him as the night breeze blew in. Judy took up her glass and hummed. “So, he’s not interested?”</p><p>“I didn’t even really get a chance to ask,” Flynn said, pouting slightly. </p><p>Judy sighed, smiling while she stroked back Flynn’s hair. “We’ll get him next time.”</p><p>Flynn nodded and raised his glass. “Next time, you do it.”</p><p>Judy grinned and clinked her glass to his.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Find me occasionally on <a href="https://polyproticamory.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. the art of scraping through</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The negotiations with the Union couldn’t be rushed, and so Flynn was there for a whole week—longer—and most of the time clanking around in his armor beside Ioder. In the mornings, he ran his men through drills outside of town, and in the afternoons hired a few guilds—both for safety in numbers and as a gesture of goodwill—to eliminate some monster dens in the surrounding woods. After a raid, he would return glowing with sweat and flushed with a good fight.</p>
<p>Yuri greeted him at the bridge, Judy leaning against the bridge fence, Repede pacing at their heels. When Flynn walked up to them, the dog warrior nipped at Flynn’s hand before he scampered off to chase the street cats and dogs, satisfied at Flynn's health and safety. Judy pouted when she asked why he never asked Brave Vesperia to join them. </p>
<p>“I’m fairly certain there’s some conflict of interest,” Flynn said, his eyes dancing as Judy ran her hands up his front to his pauldrons, toying with the buckles at his shoulders. “The more established guilds might be thinking I’m playing favorites if I keep hiring the guild with my two favorite people.”</p>
<p>Yuri raised an eyebrow. “Rooting out nepotism in all respects, huh?”</p>
<p>“Of course.” Flynn turned to Yuri. “Though your reputation as a guild would certainly get a boost if you actually let people know what you’ve done.”</p>
<p>“Vigilante justice and reckless insurrection are nothing to brag about,” Yuri said, waving a hand.</p>
<p>“But decisive action in the face of overwhelming evidence and <em> saving the world </em> from certain destruction <em> are</em>.” Flynn sighed and turned to Judy. “How you put up with his stubbornness is beyond me. And <em> I’ve </em>known him pretty much all my life.”</p>
<p>Judy hummed and raised her arms to wrap around Flynn’s neck, and Flynn’s hands immediately went to her waist, instinctively. She looked over her shoulder at Yuri. Her eyes roved over him in a slow once-over that made Yuri feel warm under his open collar. “Well, he’s pretty to look at,” she said, tilting her head. </p>
<p>Flynn laughed and looked up at Yuri, cheeks turning even redder underneath the blush of exertion. A matching warmth rose up Yuri's face under the steely gaze of his best friend. When Flynn spoke, it was in a low, conspiratorial murmur. “That he is.”</p>
<p>Yuri laughed, dispelling the thrill that shivered through his chest. He could play along for a bit, go with their teasing. Flynn always had a playful side that Judy must bring out even more, and Yuri liked seeing his friend laugh. He opened his arms, presenting his body, faux-cocky. “I know, I know. You can’t get enough of this.”</p>
<p>“That’s right.” It was Flynn who said it, his earnestness again slipping through his voice.</p>
<p>Yuri’s heart swooped into his stomach. The two of them were gazing at him intently, Judy smiling softly. Flynn’s face was set in a determined expression, eyes never moving from Yuri’s once he met them. </p>
<p><em> Oh</em>, Yuri thought, watching Flynn and Judy watch him. He gulped and put a hand on his hip, held the ties of his scabbard in a tight grip. Yuri looked away first, turning and trying—probably failing—to walk away easy, casually. “Well, <em> this </em> is going to get some food at the tavern,” he called over his shoulder, using his free hand to gesture theatrically at himself. He looked behind him, jerked his head in the direction of town. “Meet you there?”</p>
<p>Flynn nodded. Yuri saw Judy’s eyes slide down his body, and he just barely kept himself from running. </p>
<p>Barely.</p>
<p>*</p>
<p>“He’s <em> nervous</em>,” Judy murmured, still encircled in Flynn’s arms. </p>
<p>“I don’t understand why,” Flynn said. “Unless...he doesn’t feel the same way? And he doesn’t know how to turn us down?”</p>
<p>Judy turned to face the knight, her fingers laced through his hair. “I’m sure that’s not it. You don’t see how he looks at you. He only does it when he thinks no one’s looking.”</p>
<p>“But <em> you’re </em> looking all the time.” Flynn wrapped his hands around Judy’s waist, bringing her closer. </p>
<p>Judy grinned. “Not that you mind.”</p>
<p>“Not at all,” Flynn agreed. “I thought that I did the same, but apparently not.”</p>
<p>“He’s sneaky,” Judy agreed. She slipped her hands under the opening in Flynn’s tunic, fingers spread on the black turtleneck underneath. “And your attention has been split lately.”</p>
<p>“Yes, it has.” Flynn took a deep breath when he felt Judy run her hands across his chest, thankful that the bridge was empty of people. “It’d be really nice if I could get you and Yuri in one place. That way I can keep an eye on you both.”</p>
<p>Judy’s smile turned sharp. “That’s the plan.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Find me sometimes on <a href="https://polyproticamory.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. the stranger the better</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Judy and Flynn still fail to ask Yuri what they REALLY want to ask him.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I've been procrastinating really badly on a bunch of things lately, but then had a bunch of deadlines that I had to meet today. So I met them, and then melted into my couch because I'm a trash monster. </p><p>Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>That night at the bar, Yuri sat at a table with Flynn and Judy. Yuri nursed his drink slowly and savored a plate of spaghetti and meat sauce (that still didn’t hold a candle to Karol’s personal recipe, which tasted that much better while camped in the field). A few of the Fortune’s Market members sat at a nearby table, urging Yuri to spill the gossip on Kaufman, what it was like escorting her to Nordopolica a year—almost a <em> lifetime</em>—ago. He obliged, grateful for the distraction from the tension that built between him and Flynn and Judy, and he roped Judy into sharing her own details. </p><p>“Kaufman’s as tough as she seems,” she said, circling the rim of her champagne glass with a finger. “She wouldn’t have survived being moored next to a haunted ship otherwise. Even the mermen stayed away from that place.”</p><p>“I still can’t believe that your instinct was to <em> board the abandoned ship </em>,” Flynn said to Yuri. “You weren’t that far from shore, I think. It was just the fog that obscured that. You could have sent a boat to get rescued.”</p><p>“But by then it would have been too late,” Yuri shrugged. He smirked at the guild members behind him, talking over his shoulder. “We would have been doomed. And I think that the apatheia must have reacted with the blastia or something. I don’t know.” He took a sip from his drink, smacking his lips. “You’ll have to ask a mage in Aspio about that. Get ready for a whole day of explanations, though.”</p><p>“Splitting the party was smart, though,” Judy said. </p><p>“And having the second half of the party <em> board the ship </em> was not,” Yuri said. He shot Judy a look. “I’m still a little mad that you brought Estelle with you.” </p><p>“You know our princess.” Judy smiled. “Wouldn’t take no for an answer.”</p><p>Flynn closed his eyes. “Okay, both of you stop talking before my heart gives out at the thought of Estelle on a <em> ghost ship</em>.”</p><p>“Oh, Flynn. You worry too much.” She reached over and pinched his cheek, making Yuri burst into laughter. </p><p>Flynn blushed, then pretended to snap his teeth at Judy’s fingers, growling in an admirable impression of Repede. Judy gripped his chin and planted a lingering kiss to his lips, causing a few catcalls from the other men, though they all turned away to refill their drinks, give them privacy.</p><p>Yuri chuckled, looking down to twirl more spaghetti around his fork. “Got over your nervousness around the Knights, huh?”</p><p>“Oh, I’m still <em> nervous</em>,” Judy said in a languid way that was completely at ease, “just not out of fear.”</p><p>“A better word for <em> that </em> feeling might be <em> anticipation</em>,” Flynn replied. He took Judy’s hand from his face and pressed his lips to the knuckles, a gesture of the utmost propriety with a sensual edge, clean and sharp. “Don’t you think, Yuri?”</p><p>Yuri felt his heart thump hard against his rib cage, and he lifted a forkful of food to his mouth. “That’s a good word, yeah.” He shoved the food in his mouth, swallowed after chewing more than necessary. </p><p>He didn’t look up at them, though he could practically feel their eyes on the top of his head. He twirled more spaghetti, ate smaller and smaller bites to draw out his meal, delay the moment when he would look up and see...<em> something </em> in their eyes. Anticipation, in Flynn’s words. In any case, that aforementioned <em> nervousness</em>.</p><p>It was getting clearer and clearer what the two of them were asking without really asking, what they were offering while being coy. And it wasn’t a lack of <em> desire </em> that was keeping Yuri from jumping in, saying <em> yes, please </em>. He had always thought Flynn was beautiful, ever since he had a concept of what beauty was, what it meant. And the thing he had noticed about Judy—after her fierce battle instinct and fearless flying on Ba’ul—was her striking, delicate face, the strong and capable body under her armor. That he trusted the two of them above anyone else only heightened the feeling. He knew that he could lose himself in them, and they would carry him safely in their shared embrace. </p><p>No, what held him back was this lingering doubt. That neither of them felt that same depth of feeling, didn’t trust him—didn’t <em> love </em> him—as much as he loved them. And Yuri was scared of that love himself, worried that it was misguided, or rooted in an anxiety about living that some days felt like quicksand. They apparently spent so much time looking for him. Together. Now that he was found, and they found <em> each other </em>, what purpose did he serve? Why invite him in? </p><p>Yuri heard one of them sigh, just a breath of air that would have gone unnoticed if he weren’t so attuned to them in the moment. He had a single strand of pasta left, and he wound it round his fork, then unwound it, then wound it again. </p><p>Flynn’s voice was steady when he spoke. “Yuri?”</p><p>“Hmm?” Yuri looked up, finally. Flynn and Judy’s joined hands were on the table, fingers laced, palms cupped. He met Flynn’s gaze, and his eyebrows were contracted in concern, examining Yuri closely. </p><p>Flynn opened his mouth, and Judy squeezed his hand gently, her fingers closing a little tighter around his. “We haven’t really...talked about—well. Judith and me.”</p><p>Yuri stopped himself from rolling his eyes at Flynn’s insistence on using people’s proper names. He kept twirling his fork on this plate. “What’s there to talk about? You two started seeing each other when I...was missing. Right?” He shrugged. <em> Easy </em>. “That’s what Raven said.”</p><p>“Yes, well.” Flynn glanced at Judy before he said, “We realized we never...told you. Granted, we hadn’t started getting closer until recently. But still, we hadn’t really had a conversation about it.”</p><p>“And again, what’s there to talk about?” Yuri grinned, tried to infuse sincerity into every word. “What, you think you need my blessing or something? Because that’s absurd. You’re both adults.”</p><p>“Not your blessing, no,” Judy said, placing her other hand on top of hers and Flynn’s joined hands. “But what you think about this. About us.”</p><p>Yuri opened his mouth to make a joking remark, dancing around the edges of this sinkhole in his chest, but the look in Judy’s eye made him pause. She was steady, almost plaintive, waiting for judgement, as if the next words out of his mouth were the most important words he would ever say in his life. He spoke slowly then, chose his words carefully.</p><p>“I think,” Yuri swallowed, his mouth suddenly dry. “You two work well together. I’m surprised I didn’t see it before, but I think...it was always there. Ever since Ghasfarost.”</p><p>Judy smiled and glanced over at Flynn, up through her eyelashes, before looking back at Yuri. “So...you think that Flynn and I are...good together.”</p><p>“Yeah. So good.” Yuri took up his drink and had the last sip. It didn’t hurt to speak those thoughts out loud, but his throat still scratched on the words. </p><p>#</p><p>Flynn blinked and took a breath to get ready to speak, but Yuri mumbled something about getting refills for the table. His best friend stood and left before Flynn could say anything else, try to guide the conversation towards what he and Judy actually wanted to ask, or at the very least convey. </p><p>Because Flynn was never going to push Yuri. Not after all this time and all they’ve been through. They had always challenged one another, grew frustrated, spent time apart, then came back together in a clash of their swords that said more than their mouths ever could. When all was said and done, when the world was saved, and Yuri was back safe on solid ground, Flynn realized that what he wanted, and what he had avoided admitting for so much of his life, was <em> more </em>. He wanted their hands to brush together in more than fleeting, accidental touches. He wanted to hold Yuri so close that he didn’t know where he ended and the other began. He wanted to taste Yuri’s laughter right from his lips, wanted to kiss the skin exposed by the ridiculous opening of his deep-cut shirts.</p><p>With Judy, it was the same and different. She was so much like Yuri—in her humor, her strength, her battle lust and clear-eyed worldview—that it was almost impossible for him not to fall for her. But their relationship was newer, still growing. Judy met Flynn’s eye while Yuri was at the bar to refill their pitcher. She reached up and pushed Flynn’s fringe out of his eyes. </p><p>“We might be getting through to him,” she said, soft enough that only he could hear. </p><p>Flynn leaned forward and rested his forehead against hers. “I worry that we’re not.”</p><p>Judy kissed his lips, gently this time, little more than a peck. “But we’ll take it slow,” she said. “As slow as we need to.”</p><p>Flynn leaned in and kissed her back, his hand reaching up to cup her jaw. Judy hummed, held onto him with both hands. They broke apart right as Yuri started walking back to their table, a new pitcher in his hands, a fond, though inscrutable, smile on his face.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Find me on <a href="https://polyproticamory.tumblr.com">Tumblr</a>.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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